Photo Credit: www.wangleehom.com

This album (“GSYX”) converted me into a Leehom fan. I’ve never been much of an admirer of his music until I heard this album, which, imho, is absolutely incredible, and just goes to show what a musical genius he is.

This is Leehom’s second “chinked-out” offering (the first being Shangri-La, which btw, was just as amazing). By “chinked-out”, he is referring to his blend of Chinese classical/folk music elements with American hip-hop. Sounds like an unlikely marriage, but it works!

The opening track, 在梅边 (Zai Mei Bian, “By the Plum Blossoms”), is a rap number inspired by the classical Chinese opera 牡丹亭 (Mu Dan Ting, “The Pavilion of the Peony”). Rap's not usually my cup of tea, but this one just did it for me. It starts off with this misleading introduction of Chinese cymbals and percussions, and before you know it, it launches into something amazingly smooth and energetic. Leehom also borrows the 渐快 element (for the lack of a better translation, it means a gradual speeding-up of rhythm) from the Chinese opera for the last part of his rap, which first starts out slow, and then picks up phenomenal speed. Awesome.

The second track, 花田错 (Hua Tian Cuo，“Mistake in the Flower Fields”) is my absolute favourite in the entire album (and perhaps even of all of Leehom's works). I could put this on repeat mode for like 6 times before I stop myself, lest I get tired of it. (But guess what, I haven’t!) He also employs the singing style from Chinese operas for this number, and wow, I never knew Chinese opera could be so R&B! I just love how he makes it possible for you to bop along to the erhu. ("Listen to my erhu!") This entire track is gorgeously smooth; it’s like immersing in an audio spa. Mmmm…

The third number (ok, I think I’ve unintentionally started a track-by-track commentary, but why not?), which is also the title track, features Jin and Lee Yan (the opera master who sang the part of the emperor in “Farewell my Concubine”). When I first heard this song, I thought it was crap, given that all Leehom does (save for some rapping) is exclaim “盖世英雄到来". But this track grew on me as I had more of it. I realised the singing/rapping’s not the main focus of this number. It’s the instrumentation rather. It's like a free-spirited collage of different sounds. Imho, the best part of the song is the electric guitar solo followed by the symphony of strings. It’s a feel-good number, and very lush as well. One of my favourites in the CD too.

The album slows down with “Kiss Goodbye” in Track 4. It’s a standard Leehom ballad that is a must-have in every Leehom album. It’s chart-topper material, with a very nice bluesy piano solo as its interlude. I like this song, but this is NOT the point of GSYX.

With track 5, it's hip-hop again! This collaboration with Korea’s Rain and Lim Jeong Hee, is really as its title suggests, a Perfect Interaction. I just love the groove of this song, and how one singer passes the baton to the other so seamlessly despite the fact that they are singing in different languages. Extremely happy and likeable song.

Track 6: 大城小爱 (Da Cheng Xiao Ai, “Big Love in a Small City”) is a simple love song about missing a girl. Nice, but not my favourite.

Track 7: 第一个清晨 (Di Yi Ge Qing Chen, “The First Morning”) is my second favourite song after 花田错. This is not chinked-out, just an austere one with a piano and a guitar. I’ve never been a big fan of Leehom’s ballads, which can sometimes get a little over the top. But this one is simply sublime. It’s simple and quiet, but it speaks volumes. This is another one of those songs which I obsessively put on repeat mode. Definitely one of his best slow numbers yet.

Track 8: 哥儿们 (Ge’r Men, “Brothers”) is all about friendship among the guys. It’s brilliant how he sings with the Beijing accent of having Rs (儿) after certain words. It just makes the whole thing sound so orientally chic. The song also has an infectious beat. I just want to dance whenever I hear this.

Track 9: 让开 (Rang Kai, “Move Over”). This is one track with lots of Chinese pride, where he proudly proclaims that “This is our (the Chinese’s) era/time.” The notable thing about this song is that it uses the beat of the Chinese drums, very much like in a lion/dragon dance. Very experimental, very random, very bold, and very, um, all over the place (on first spin at least). I couldn't get it initially, but one day it just clicked, and I was like, "Oh, I see..." The arrangements seem to have been choreographed (yeah, choreographed, can't think of a more appropriate word) to the lyrics, such that the end result turns out with a really strong visual quality to it. I can almost see Leehom swiftly push away obstacles as he chants 让开! 让开! Best enjoyed with strong bassy speakers, with the volume turned up. Absolutely brilliant.

Track 10: 爱，因为在心中(Ai, Yin Wei Zai Xin Zhong, “Because Love is in our Hearts”). Technically, this is not a Leehom number, but one written and performed by his fans as a tribute to him. He included this in his album to honour to his fans. Musically, this may not gel with the rest of the tracks, but thematically, it does, given that this is all about Heroes of Earth, and I suppose his fans are his heroes in one way or another (or so I'd like to think!)

My only complaint about GSYX is that there aren’t enough chinked-out tracks in this album. The ballads are nice, but I think chinked-out hip-hop is his niche! I guess he can’t be producing a full-fledged hip-hop album as this would render the album non-mainstream in the Chinese market. I seriously CANNOT WAIT for his next offering.

He just gets better and better.